Coin-controlled electrical musical instrument



(No Model.)

P. WUEST, Jr. COIN CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. No. 531,890. Patented Jan. 1, 1895.

Inventor:

Wuest J? Witnesses by his flttonzeys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP \VUEST, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COIN-CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,8 90, dated January 1, 1895.

Application filed September 12, 1893. Serial No. 485,358. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP WUEs'r, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Improvementsin Coin-Operated Electrical Mechanism, of which the followingis a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct mechanism for actuating an electrically operated piano or organ through the medium of a coin inserted in a suitable coin slot in the case of the piano or organ or in a receptacle connected with the piano or organ. The main object of my invention is to cause the piano to play automatically a tune on the insertion of the coin and to stop automatically by mechanism fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1, is a perspective view of an automatically operated piano showing my improvements. Fig. 2, is a View showing the coin operated mechanism. Fig. 3, is a view of the circuit closer. Fig. 4, is a view of a portion of the perforated paper showing the contact bar. Fig. 5, is an end view of the coin slide; and Fig. 6, is a diagram illustrating the wiring.

A is an ordinary automatic piano played with perforated paper B mounted in a drawer or compartment 0 under the keyboard of the piano. Selectors pass through the perforations in the paper making theinecessary movements so as to throw the proper key into engagement with mechanism operated by an electric motor E, mounted in the base of the piano in the present instance. This mechanism is now in common use and the roll paper can be bought, the piano playing the piece according to the perforations in the paper.

The device is operated by an ordinary storage battery F or a current from an ordinary circuit wire or primary battery.

My invention relates particularly to the coin operating mechanism and the mechanism for breaking the circuit.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, I is an inclined plate upon which the coin slides, the coin passing through the coin slot t' in the case. The lower portion 1' of the inclined plate is secured to but insulated from the base plate, H. Pivoted to this base plate is a fiat lever G, 9 being the pivot. This lever G is preferably the same width as the slide I and the distance between the lever and the end of the plate I is regulated by a set screw 71 adapted to screw threads in a boss on the plate H. A light spring at tends to keep the lever in contact with the set screw so that the distance between the plate I and the lever will be sufficient in the present instance to allow a penny to go through but will catch a nickle five cent piece. In facta nickle five cent piece dropped through the slot will wedge itself between the plate I and the lever and as the plate I is connected through a wire a to the motor E and the plate His connected through the wire 00' to the motor E through the battery F the circuit will be closed and the motor will be set in motion, driving the operating mechanism of the piano. In order to release the coin and stop the mechanism when the tune is finished,I secure to the perforated paper B, Fig. 4, a bar Z) which is in line with the spring fingers s, s, on the cross bar S, secured to the pressure bar a of the piano and these fingers are connected through the medium of wires y, y to an electro magnet J mounted on the base plate H directly back of one end of the pivoted lever G on which is an armature 9, so that when the barb on the paper comes in contact with the fingers s, 5, this circuit is closed and the magnet will draw the armature and its lever away from the plate I allowing the coin to fall into the receptacle N, thus breaking the motor circuit and stopping the mechanism of the piano. The momentum of the motor, however, will carry the bar I) on the perforated paper past the fingers so that this circuit will. be again broken, the lever will be drawn by its spring 'm into position so that when a nickle five cent piece is inserted in the slot it will rest between the plate I and the lever G, making the contact and the mechanism will be againsetin motion.

I preferably mount the coin operated mechanism at one side of the key board in the piano casing, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so as to take up as little room as possible and not be exposed, with the exception of the slot opening, but it will be understood that the coin operated mechanism may be in a box detached from thepiano mountedin a counter or other convenient place and the piano connected to it by the circuit wires.

The slide plate I is preferably provided with a serrated edge as shown clearly in Fig. 5, so that in the event of a coin being inserted with a string attached the string will be cut as soon as it is drawn upon.

It will be understood that my invention can be applied to other electrically operated mechanisms than pianos, such for instance as organs, or electrically operated toys, (to.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination in an automatic electrically operated piano or organ, a motor, a sheet through which the hammers or reeds are operated, a plate on said sheet, a circuit breaker actuated by said plate, coin mechanism through which the motor driving circuit passes when the coin is in position, said circuit breaker releasing the coin and breaking the motor circuit when actuated by the plate, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in an electrically operated automatic piano or organ, of the motor, the source of electrical supply, with two terminals suitably connected to the motor whereby on the insertion of a coin between the two terminals the circuit will be closed and the -motor set in motion and a circuit breaker acting to move one terminal away from the other and release the coin, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the electrically operated automatic piano, the motor, the two terminals one of said terminals being an armature,amagnet,aperforated sheet through the medium of which the keys are operated, a contact plate on said sheet, the fingers coupled to the magnet, the bar on the paper being arranged in such a position in respect to the fingers that the bar will come in contact with said fingers, close the magnet circuit and break the piano operating circuit, substantially as described.

4. The combination in an electrically operated automatic piano, of the perforated sheet for selecting the keys, the contact bar 45 on said sheet, the terminal fingers with which the bar is adapted to come into contact to break the electrically operating circuit of the piano, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a coin operated electric device consisting of the terminal plate upon which the coin rests, a pivoted lever also a terminal, an adjusting device for adjusting the lever in respect to the plate, so that a coin when inserted between the lever and plate Will be held in position, with means for withdrawing the lever from the plate to allow the coin to slip through, substantially as described.

6; The combination of the inclined plate 60 forming one terminal of an electrical circuit, a pivoted lever forming the other terminal adjusted in respect to the plate so that a coin will be held in contact with both terminals, an electric magnet situated back of the lever, a switch for throwing the electro magnet in circuit and drawing the lever away from the plate to allow the coin to pass away from the contact points, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP lVUES'l, JR.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM A. BARR, J OSEPH H. KLEIN. 

